As Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Amir continue to question and scrutinize India’s success in the T20 World Cup, several former Pakistan cricketers have urged the local cricket community to stop spreading conspiracy theories and instead embrace India’s dominance in white-ball cricket.
Hitting back at the critics, former Test batsman Muhammad Wasim said it was important for Pakistan to learn from India’s success rather than fault-finding and spreading rumours.
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“We generally try to find fault and float conspiracy theories whenever we lose to India or they do well in big events. We have to stop that and accept that their team is the best side and we have to try to improve ourselves by learning from our mistakes,” Wasim was quoted as saying by PTI.
While India have knocked down opposition teams on their way to the T20 World Cup title, Pakistan failed to advance beyond the super 8 stage of the tournament. It was their second disappointing World T20 campaign after being knocked out in the group stage in 2024.
India successfully defended the crown when they beat New Zealand by 96 runs in a one-sided final in Ahmedabad on Sunday 8th March.
JAVED MIANDAD praises INDIA
The legendary Javed Miandad also chimed in, praising India’s process- and structure-driven cricket. Miandad, one of the best batsmen of his era, recalled the long-lost dressing room environment that once helped Pakistan teams thrive under pressure.
“Their team (India) is now reaping the benefits of a strong process-driven cricket structure,” Miandad said.
“When you look at the talent they are producing now, it is because of their strong structure. They are not short of batsmen, spinners or fast bowlers and their young players are result-oriented and have an awareness of the game,” he added.
“We had that environment in our dressing room once and we won often,” he said.
Former captain Rashid Latif said India’s triumph was not a surprise as their players were now used to performing under pressure.
“When you regularly reach the finals of major events, the players also get used to winning,” he said.
Most of these former cricketers have highlighted continuity in the Indian dressing room, both in terms of personnel and players, as one of the main factors behind India’s success.
In a move that sent shockwaves through the cricket fraternity, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly imposed a staggering fine of PKR 50 lakhs (approximately US$18,000) on each member team following their withdrawal from the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The penalty, which chairman Mohsin Naqvi reportedly completed already in the group stage loss to India, was meant to be a performance-based deterrent. Despite reaching the Super 8s, a narrow win over Sri Lanka was not enough to lift their net over New Zealand, marking the fourth consecutive ICC tournament in which Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals.
The PCB’s heavy-handed approach sparked intense debate, with former captain Shahid Afridi dismissing the fines as “narrow-minded” and demanding that non-performers be sent back to first-class cricket instead. Critics say the board is merely making players scapegoats for a deeper systemic failure: a chronic lack of continuity.
In the last four years, Pakistan have gone through seven T20 coaches and three captains, creating a revolving door culture that favors short-term survival over long-term strategy. Without a stable leadership core or consistent selection philosophy, the team has reverted to a collection of individuals playing for personal stats rather than a cohesive unit capable of winning.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
09 March 2026 23:51 IST
